Written Answers

Wednesday 20 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to address violence against refugee children as highlighted in the recent report by Save the Children and the Scottish Refugee Council.

Nicol Stephen: Action on specific allegations of violence is for the police in the first instance and some of the young people interviewed reported positive support in these circumstances. Similarly the report acknowledges measures taken by schools to combat racism or anti-social behaviour. We will study carefully the recommendations in this report directed specifically at the Executive.

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the absence of central heating in a pensioner household is the only criterion used to estimate that 70,000 pensioner households will benefit from its proposed central heating scheme or whether other criteria are used to arrive at this figure and, if so, what the criteria are.

Jackie Baillie: The estimate that 70,000 pensioner households will benefit from the central heating initiative was based solely on the number of such households who do not have central heating.

Crime Prevention

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent by (a) central government and (b) local government on crime prevention in each year since 1979.

Iain Gray: The following expenditure has been incurred by the Scottish Executive in support of crime prevention measures in the financial years 1986-87 to 1999-2000. Separate figures for expenditure on crime prevention prior to these years are not available. The increase in funding from 1996-97 onwards reflects the introduction of the Scottish Executive CCTV Challenge Competition. The variation in the annual figures from then reflects extra funding added to the CCTV element in years 1996-97 and 1997-98.

  


Year 


Amount (£000) 




1986-87 


200 




1987-88 


321 




1988-89 


590 




1989-90 


933 




1990-91 


1,104 




1991-92 


1,225 




1992-93 


1,571 




1993-94 


1,597 




1994-95 


1,598 




1995-96 


1,114 




1996-97 


3,511 




1997-98 


3,239 




1998-99 


3,007 




1999-2000 


2,997 




  Figures for local government expenditure on crime prevention are not held centrally.

Employment

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the outcome of the Opportunities and Choices consultation exercise on post-school provision for 16 to18-year-olds which closed in September 1999.

Ms Wendy Alexander: There were 110 responses to the Opportunities and Choices consultation exercise from a wide range of agencies including colleges, the enterprise network, employers, National Training Organisations, local authorities and representative bodies. There was general agreement with the objectives outlined in the consultation paper. The responses also made suggestions and comments on how to increase the value of work-based training; to assist transfer band progression across training and further education; to improve the assessment of trainees and the guidance they receive; to increase the uptake of Modern Apprenticeships, and to develop a better range of integrated training and further education provision.

  In response to this, and to increase the training opportunities available to young people, we have agreed revised and extended training criteria for 18 to 24-year-olds who wish to take up Modern Apprenticeships. The Scottish Executive has established a working group to take forward the results of the consultation exercise over the next 12-18 months. The group, which includes representatives of the enterprise network and the further education sector, is developing practical proposals for integrated training and further education programmes, and pilots are being set up to test the improvements suggested in response to the consultation paper.

Employment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many modern apprenticeships for 18 to 24-year-olds each local enterprise company has funded in each year since 1997.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local enterprise company has spent on modern apprenticeships for 18 to 24-year-olds in each year since 1997.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have asked Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise to provide the details requested. The data will be sent to Mr MacAskill and copies placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee to ensure that a daily news output remains part of the Gaelic television schedule.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive keeps in touch with the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee over its plans.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it or Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig has received with regard to the proposed ending of a daily television news output in Gaelic.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: About 20 letters have been received by the Scottish Executive and the Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig on this issue. Most have argued that a Gaelic television news service should be provided again as soon as suitable broadcasting slots can be identified.

Gaelic

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received and what actions it has taken regarding the redundancy of 14 staff presently working on the Gaelic news programme Telefios.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: I understand that four of the current Telefios staff have been redeployed within SMG (the Scottish Media Group). Discussions are taking place between CCG, SMG and CNES with a view to ensuring that new programmes are produced in the Stornoway studio.

General Practitioners

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the standard general practitioner training to four years with a minimum of two years in general practice by 2005.

Susan Deacon: The length and content of vocational training for general practitioners is a matter for the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP), which is a reserved body with a UK-wide remit.

Health

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it collects on the prevalence of infestation by head lice among school pupils.

Susan Deacon: Information on the prevalence of infestation is not held by the Scottish Executive or by health boards.

Health

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with teachers, council education departments and others regarding the role of teachers in advising pupils and parents about infestation with head lice.

Susan Deacon: It is the responsibility of health boards to develop policies for dealing with head lice infestation and these policies include advice to teachers about their role in dealing with head lice infestation. These policies have been informed by multi-agency groups including education professionals.

  The Scottish Executive plans to produce a national advice leaflet on the treatment of head lice infestation. In drawing this leaflet up it will take account of the views of a wide range of groups, including teachers.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9453 by Iain Gray on 18 September 2000, what the figures were for delayed discharges in each health board area for the quarter ending 30 June 2000.

Susan Deacon: The first comprehensive national and local information showing the position as at the 30 September census date was published by the Information and Statistics Division of the NHS in Scotland on Monday 4 December.

  The information was issued to all local authorities, health boards and NHS Trusts in Scotland and a copy was placed the same day on the ISD Scotland website (www.show.scot.nhs.uk) and in SPICe (Bib. no. 9988).

Health Statistics

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund the integration of statistics Scottish Morbidity Record No. 1 SMR01, Community Mortality Rates CMR and Scottish Immunisation Recall Systems into the Information Services Division database.

Susan Deacon: There are no plans to integrate the Scottish Morbidity Record SMR01, Continuous Morbidity Recording CMR and Scottish Immunisation Recall System statistics.

Influenza

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on progress on the take-up of the flu vaccine.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people within its target groups have been vaccinated against influenza.

Susan Deacon: 63% (660 out of 1,055) of general practices in Scotland responded to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health’s (SCIEH) end-October request for influenza immunisation uptake data for the 65-year-old and over at risk group. From the responses received, 50.1% (284,353) of patients aged 65 and over, from those practices which responded, had received the vaccine as at 31 October 2000. This includes that considerable progress is being made towards meeting the Scotland-wide target of 60% uptake. Further data will be collated by SCIEH to reflect the position at 30 November and 31 December.

  Influenza immunisation is also recommended for patients with chronic illnesses. There are no reliable statistics of the number of people in this group, and uptake data are not available.

  Health boards, NHS Trusts and local authorities have been asked to put in place arrangements to evaluate uptake of the flu vaccination by staff.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether fiscal fines are included in the crime statistics.

Mr Jim Wallace: All crimes and offences recorded by the police are covered in the published statistics on recorded crime, including those which result in a fiscal fine. Totals of the number of criminal reports concluded by way of a fiscal fine are given in the annual Scottish Executive Justice Department statistical bulletin on criminal proceedings in Scottish courts and also in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Annual Report. Information on the numbers of fiscal fines paid is included in the annual statistical returns made by the district courts.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9352 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 September 2000, whether it will provide information on the number of persons with a charge proved in sheriff and district courts and the number of these where the main offence involved was aggravated by having been committed while the offender was on bail for (a) Tayside and (b) the whole of Scotland in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998 and when the 1999 figures will be made available.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is given in the following table. Summary data for 1999 on criminal proceedings in Scottish courts are expected to be published by the end of this year.

  Number of persons with a charge proved in sheriff and district1 courts, 1997 and 1998

  


SEJD Crime 


All persons with a charge proved 


Persons with a bail aggravation4




Category2


1997 


1998 


1997 


1998 




Scotland 
















Total 


149,387 


138,833 


9,891 


9,848 




Housebreaking 


3,267 


2,959 


597 


574 




Robbery 


491 


446 


112 


97 




Drug offences 


6,700 


6,656 


356 


434 




Other offences 


138,929 


128,772 


8,826 


8,743 




Tayside3

 
 
 
 



Total 


12,861 


12,762 


857 


892 




Housebreaking 


272 


222 


48 


43 




Robbery 


29 


31 


10 


4 




Drug offences 


432 


432 


17 


20 




Other offences 


12,128 


12,077 


782 


825 




  Notes:

  1. Includes stipendiary magistrates court.

  2. Main offence.

  3. Includes Arbroath, Dundee, Forfar and Perth Sheriff Courts; Angus, Dundee City and Perth & Kinross District Courts.

  4. The offence was aggravated by having been committed while the offender was on bail.

Justice

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related prosecutions were undertaken in the courts in each year since 1990.

Colin Boyd QC: The information requested is not available. It is not possible to record crime according to motive, which in many cases is not apparent, or according to whether the accused may be under the influence of drugs at the time of the offence. Statistics relating to prosecutions under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 are contained in the SEJD statistical bulletin  Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts 1998 , copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Museums

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants each industrial heritage museum has received in each of the past five years from national bodies, government bodies, local authorities and the National Lottery.

Allan Wilson: The grants made by the Scottish Office/Scottish Executive, including Historic Scotland, and by the Heritage Lottery Fund are set out in the following table. Information on grants made by other bodies is not held centrally.

  

 

1995-96 (£) 


1996-97 (£) 


1997-98 (£) 


1998-99 (£) 


1999-2000 (£) 




Almond Valley Heritage Centre
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 

 
 
 
 


 
 
 
354,000 




Dunaskin Open Air Industrial Museum, Dalmellington
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
 
 
23,738 

 
 


 
 
 
5,891 



 
 
 
12,475 




Grampian Transport Museum
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
SO/SE Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 

 


 
 
104,400 

 
 


 
 
43,000 




Scottish Fisheries Museum
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
 
100,000 



 
 
35,800 



 
 
676,000 

 
 



Scottish Lead Mining Museum- Wanlockhead
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
SO/SE Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
 
 
27,700 



 
 
 



 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 



 
 
 
 





Scottish Maritime Museum
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 

 
 
 


 55,000 



 15,000 




Scottish Mining Museum
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
16,243
200,814 



 
3,450
353,600 



 
202,792
3,574,000 



 
182,092
15,300 



100,000
198,106





Scottish Railway Museum
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 

 
 
 
 


 
 
275,000 




New Lanark Conservation Trust
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
 
95,507



 
 
 
33,300
1,832,520 



 
 
33,925



 
 
 
34,965



 
 
 
35,835





Verdant Works and Discovery Point, Dundee
SO/SE Arts & Heritage
Historic Scotland
Heritage Lottery Fund 



 
 
17,282



 
 
 
52,686
469,700 



 
 
 
471,929

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £4 million for NHS Direct in this year’s budget is allocated for staff recruitment, equipment and other capital expenditure.

Susan Deacon: A Project Director was appointed on 16 October on secondment from Scottish Enterprise. He is currently developing a detailed service specification and will shortly be recruiting staff. The first phase of the design of the Scottish NHS Direct Service has recently been completed following an extensive programme of consultation with key stakeholders.

Opencast Mines

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fund research into any adverse social, health, economic and environmental effects of opencast mines.

Mr Sam Galbraith: A number of studies have already been undertaken on these issues. The Executive currently has no plans to initiate specific research in this area, although the need for further work is kept under constant review.

Opencast Mines

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to fund research into the volume of applications being submitted for opencast mines and the number which are being granted.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is already available, and is given in  Opencast Coal Mining Statistics , published annually by the Planning Officers’ Society. A copy of the latest edition, covering 1998-99, is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 9875).

Opencast Mines

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for a moratorium on all opencast mine applications to allow a full and comprehensive assessment of the social, health, economic and environmental impacts of opencast mining.

Mr Sam Galbraith: No. National planning policy guidance already sets out a detailed framework against which new proposals must rigorously be assessed.

Ports

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any increased costs to Scottish ports or harbour boards caused by light dues levied on visiting cruise liners and ships using cargo freight who call at Scottish ports and harbours and whether it will detail any representations made regarding this.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no responsibilities in relation to light dues. This is a reserved matter and the responsibility of the Department of the Environment Transport and the Regions. The Executive has received no representations on this issue.

Prison Service

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments, in addition to the quarterly payments, have been made to Premier Prison Services for Kilmarnock Prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No.

Prison Service

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are to end slopping out and expedite in-cell sanitation at Barlinnie Prison following Her Majesty’s Chief Inspectorate of Prisons Annual Report 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Plans to end slopping out at Barlinnie Prison must await the outcome of the fundamental review of the SPS Estate. As an interim measure, however, planning is underway for the installation of in-cell sanitation in B Hall at the establishment.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10385 by Sarah Boyack on 1 November 2000, whether instructions were given that actual comparative environmental costing of transporting timber by road and by rail be drawn up as part of the Borders Railway Feasibility Study and, if so, whether it will detail the actual costings on the basis of which the conclusion was reached that the impact of the Borders railway would be to make it environmentally more acceptable to extract timber from the Kielder Forest.

Sarah Boyack: An extensive analysis of the environmental impacts of transporting timber by rail from the Keilder Forest can be found in Volume 3, Parts 5 & 6 of the Scottish Borders Railway Feasibility Study .

Rail Network

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Transport attended the recent meeting involving the Deputy Prime Minister and Sir Alastair Morton, Director of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, and what specific input was made by the Minister prior to or at the meeting.

Sarah Boyack: There have been several recent meetings between the Deputy Prime Minister and the rail industry regarding the safety of the GB rail network. I have received regular updates on the outcome of these meetings from UK Government Ministers, most recently on 28 November. I have also myself met the industry to discuss the situation in Scotland, most recently on 23 November.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10632 by Sarah Boyack on 8 November 2000 and to motion S1M-922 agreed by the Parliament on 1 June 2000, whether it is making or has made any representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding funding for full reinstatement of the line between Edinburgh and Carlisle.

Sarah Boyack: On 10 November I announced an award of £1.865 million to the Scottish Borders Council under the third round of the Public Transport Fund for the cost of securing the necessary permissions for reinstating the railway between Edinburgh and the Central Borders.

  On 28 November, the Scottish Executive launched its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority on the franchise for passenger rail services that start and end in Scotland. During this process we will give consideration to a wide range of issues, including proposals for additions to the passenger rail network such as the reinstatement of the Borders railway.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made, or will make, representations to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority regarding the reinstatement of the rail line from Edinburgh to Carlisle in the context of any assessment it has made on how the line’s reinstatement would fit into the overall expansion of the rail network, both for passenger rail use and freight, as set out by the Deputy Prime Minister in July 2000.

Sarah Boyack: On 28 November the Scottish Executive published its consultation paper on the strategic priorities for Scotland’s railways as part of the process of developing directions and guidance to the Strategic Rail Authority on the franchise for passenger rail services that start and end in Scotland. During this process we will give consideration to a wide range of issues, including proposals for additions to the passenger rail network such as the reinstatement of the Borders railway.

Rail Safety

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Railtrack since Sunday 26 November regarding rail passenger safety in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Railway safety is a reserved matter, and is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions within the UK Government. However, the Scottish Executive has raised the issue of passenger safety in Scotland during regular contacts with the Scottish rail industry (including Railtrack) before and after the derailment at Mossend South on 26 November.

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of New Deal for Schools capital funding on the infrastructure of schools in each local authority area.

Mr Jack McConnell: The New Deal for Schools capital grant was introduced in financial year 1997-98 and provides additional capital resources of £115.7 million over five years for repairs to school buildings and to improve facilities for information and communications technology. The grant is distributed to all authorities in Scotland on a formula basis, with the detailed decisions concerning spending needs at particular schools being matters for the authorities. These additional resources are allowing many schools across Scotland to benefit from improvements to their fabric, ranging from capital minor works to work of a more extensive nature and including improved ICT facilities.

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are currently employed in the Energy Division of its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department, specifying the number of staff at each grade, what the equivalent figures were in each year since 1997 and, of these staff, how many in each year had or have duties relating (a) solely and (b) partially to the offshore oil and gas industry.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Since 1997, the staffing levels of the department’s Energy Division, which includes the six staff of the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office, have been as follows:

  


Grade 


1997 


1998 


1999 


2000 




Head of Division 


1 


1 


1 


1 




Head of Branch 


2 


2 


2 


2 




B3 


1 


1 


1 


1 




B2 


2 


2 


3 


3 




B1 


3 


3 


3 


3 




A3 


2.5 


2.5 


2.6 


2.6 




A1 


1.5 


1.5 


1 


1 




  Since 1997, work relating to the offshore oil and gas industry has been part of the duties of the head of Division, one of the Branch heads, one B2, one B1 and one A3.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what payments have been made to the Scottish Qualifications Authority in this financial year and in each of the last two financial years, specifying the amount and date of each payment, and how these compared with the amounts and payment dates projected at the start of each financial year.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Qualifications Authority receives grant-in-aid and grant for three areas of work: 5-14 Programme; Accreditation Unit running costs; and development work for the new national qualifications introduced in academic year 1999-2000. A detailed profile for these payments is not projected at the start of the financial year to provide flexibility. The amounts and dates of payments for each of the two previous financial years, and for the current year to 31 October, are given below. The tables are not directly comparable since further payments will be made during the current financial year.

  SQA 5-14 Assessment Unit

  1998-99 (£)

  


24 November 1998 


333,231 




6 January 1998 


152,869 




26 January 1998 


63,662 




25 February 1999 


70,840 




9 March 1999 


196,098 




Total 


816,700 




  1999-2000 (£)

  


28 June 1999 


38,741 




22 July 1999 


75,085 




8 September 1999 


56,287 




27 October 1999 


32,115 




5 November 1999 


27,244 




6 January 2000 


222,593 




31 January 2000 


171,370 




4 February 2000 


45,554 




28 February 2000 


114,762 




23 March 2000 


18,005 




Total 


801,756 




  2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

  


31 May 2000 


54,993 




29 June 2000 


88,990 




4 August 2000 


58,848 




13 September 2000 


114,082 




25 September 2000 


35,923 




19 October 2000 


185,954 




Total 


538,790 




  Accreditation

  1998-99 (£)

  


27 October 1998 


180,000 




18 November 1998 


500,000 




24 February 1999 


393,917 




16 March 1999 


78,083 




Total 


1,152,000 




  1999/2000 (£)

  


26 August 1999 


360,716 




25 October 1999 


144,853 




21 January 2000 


435,132 




13 March 2000 


194,299 




17 March 2000 


187,000 




Total 


1,322,000 




  2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

  


1 September 2000 


260,781 




17 September 2000 


173,200 




26 October 2000 


98,416 




Total 


532,397 




  New National Qualifications

  1998-99 (£)

  


5 March 1999 


1,775,810 




17 March 1999 


74,190 




Total 


1,850,000 




  1999-2000 (£)

  


13 July 1999 


250,000 




20 August 1999 


625,100 




22 October 1999 


318,563 




11 January 2000 


1,357,726 




23 February 2000 


942,265 




15 March 2000 


923,189 




Total 


4,417,203 




  2000-01 (to 31 October) (£)

  


1 August 2000 


718,782 




12 September 2000 


370,075 




13 October 2000 


240,948 




27 October 2000 


10,000 




Total to date 


1,339,805 




  The increase in funding for new national qualifications is a result of the introduction of these qualifications (Access, Intermediate 1, Intermediate 2 and national qualification Higher) from the beginning of academic year 1999-2000. The extra funding covers support and assessment materials and training.

  In addition to the above programme expenditure, the following one-off payments have been made:

  £61,000 on 17 March 1999 to enable the SQA to establish a video conferencing facility;

  £43,737 on 6 January 2000 for development work on Standard Grade Modern Languages and Standard Grade Technical Studies, and

  £4,359 on 23 March 2000 for revision of Standard Grade Modern Languages.

Student Finance

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11141 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 10 November 2000, whether it will give details of any remaining changes to the rates of student support for Scottish domiciled students which will apply in academic year 2001-02.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I am today placing in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the rates of those loans and grants not covered in my answer of 10 November, which will be available to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students in full-time higher education in 2001-02.

  In 2001-02 a general uprating factor of 2.4%, in line with inflation, will be applied to those existing schemes of support which are normally subject to annual uprating, thus maintaining their value in real terms. We are also increasing by the same factor the standard rates of payment made to institutions by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

  These changes are consistent with those for England and Wales announced by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are involved in the marketing of Scotland in trade and tourism, broken down by grade and remit.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Scottish Trade International promotes trade and exports from Scotland through development assistance to companies at an individual level. It does not undertake the generic marketing of Scotland in terms of trade.

  The Scottish Tourist Board has 50 staff, from Director level to clerical support, directly involved in marketing Scotland as a tourist destination to the UK and internationally. They are supported by the remaining 160 staff who are indirectly involved in marketing-related activities.

  All of the British Tourist Authority’s 506 staff are directly or indirectly involved with the promotion of Scotland as part of the "United Kingdom" as a tourist destination.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport’s comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 ( Official Report , col. 1155), whether it will confirm that it will not approve any road user charging scheme which is paper based.

Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to introduce a variety of electronic or paper-based road user charging schemes. While the Executive does not believe that a paper-based scheme is suitable for a large-scale urban area, there may be local congestion hot spots where paper is appropriate. Any paper-based proposal would have to win the support of the local community and others before the Executive would consider its merits.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport’s comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 ( Official Report , col. 1155) whether any proposed electronic charging schemes will require any equipment to be fitted to motor vehicles, and whether road users will be expected to pay to acquire and fit such equipment.

Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to require, if they so wish, specified equipment to be carried in, or fitted to, a motor vehicle while it is on a road on which charges are imposed. It is up to the local authority as to whether road users will be expected to pay to acquire and fit such equipment. This information will be made clear to road users when local authorities consult on their proposals.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport’s comments to the Transport and the Environment Committee on 8 November 2000 ( Official Report , col. 1155) whether electronic charging schemes will require road users to pay only on roads within designated areas and not for crossing cordons on the perimeter of designated areas.

Sarah Boyack: The Transport (Scotland) Bill allows local authorities to levy a charge for either of the scenarios outlined.

Water Supply

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to measure the quality of drinking water.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The quality of drinking water is monitored in accordance with the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 and the findings are published each year in Drinking Water Quality in Scotland . The latest edition of this report is Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1999 , a copy of which has been lodged with the Parliament’s Reference Centre.